Collapsible stretcher.



No. 740,002. I PATENTED. SEPT. 29, 190s. K. PREULER.

OOLLAPSIBLE STRETOHER.

' APPLICATION FILED AUG. 4. 1902.

N0 MODEL.

J/i'ma fses: llwemm':

5 660 rjzqy UNITED STAT S I Patented September 29, 1903.

PAT NT OFFICE.

COLLAPSIBLE STRETCH ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N01 740,002,dated September29, 1903.

Application filed August 4:, 1902.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that L'KASPAR FREULER, a citi zen of the Republic ofSwitzerland, residing at Ziirich,i'n the Republic of Switzerland, (whosepost-office address is 120 Birmensdorferstrasse, Ziiricl1,) haveinvented new and useful Improvements inOollapsible Stretchers, (forwhich I have made application for patents in Switzerland, No. 29,51 1,May 21, 1902; Germany June 2-1, 1902; Austria June 21, 1902; HungaryJuly 2, 1902; France July 5, 1902; Belgium June 21,1902; Denmark July 7,1902; Spain July '7, 1902; Sweden July 8, .1902; Italy July '8, 1902-Norway July 9, .1902;

Portugal July, 10, 1902; England July 12,

1902, No. 15,559,) of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in that type of collapsiblestretchers in which the frame is formed in lazy-tongs fashion.

The object is to increase the carryingpower and at the same time reducethe weight'oE such stretchers andfto cause the props of the head rest inextendingor collapsing the stretcher to rise or fall automatically andso as to takeup as little spaceas possible when collapsed. I attainthese objects by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhichv Figure 1 is a side view of a stretcher extended, and Fig. '2 ofthe same about half collapsed. Y

Similar letters referto similar parts throughout the several views.

In carrying out my invention and referring to the figures generally,each frame side consists of two or more lazy-tongs, in the presentinstance two, a and b, hinged together and placed upon each other, thetongs a being dis tinguished from b in Fig. 1 by being shaded. The saidlazy-ton gs are hinged together where theycross each other,their ends 0being jointed at e to the corner-pie'ces d, formed of angleiron, and theends f by means of headed pins 9, guided in slots h, formed in, thesaidcornerpieces as well as the ends 1'. In sliding the tongs end pins 9upward they abut against the endof the slot h, in which position they'lapsing the stretcher. the upper tongs ends,carry headed pins s,onto

Serial No. 118,407; (No model.)

are retained by the hooks Z, while the stretcher remains extended.

To the corner-pieces d are pivoted at m the handles a and to the latterthe rails 0, the free ends of which are formed into eyes adapted to beplaced onto the pins 9 of the tongs ends 2'. At the head of thestretcher rails q are connected with the tongs ends 2', guidedin strapsT, which rails serve to hold the head portion of the stretcher-cloth andare adapted to rise when extending and to fall when col- These rails, aswell as which the stretcher-cloth is hooked.

In collapsing the stretcher the hooks Z and the rails 0 are removed fromthe pins g and the tongs pushed together, after which the handles n areturned inward.

The carrying power of the stretcher is increased by the increased numberof crosslevers (tongs parts) employed and connected together at shortdistances apart from each other, which levers may be made of such lightmaterial that, as'practice has proved, a stretcher weighing from sevento eight kilos will have a carrying power of at least .one

hundred and fifty kilos. In collapsing the stretcher the saidcross-levers, being very slender, will take up comparatively very littleroom. By lengthening the said cornerpieces the described stretchersystem may also beused as camp-bed or the like.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. A folding stretcher comprising two pairs of corner-posts, a series oflazy tongs sec tions connecting the posts of each pair .and

pivoted thereto at their upper corners, the lower end of each lazy-tongssection being arranged to slide in a vertical slot in the post, and apair of vertical rods adapted to support a head-rest, said rodsbein'gslidably mounted on the posts at the head end of a bed andpivotally connected at their ends to the lower ends of the lazy-tongssections whereby the'extension of the bed causes said rods to beprojected above the upper ends of said posts.

2. A folding stretcher or bed, a head-post on the upper end thereof forattaching a 10 having vertical guides and a vertical rod head-rest, andmeans for holding said rod in adapted to'support a head-rest verticallyraised position.

slidable in said guides. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my 3. Afolding stretcher or bed, a head-post hand in presence of two Witnesses.

comprising a vertical standard adapted to KASPAR FREULER.

support the frame and having a longitudinal \Vitnesses:

socket therein, a head-restsupporting rod CARL MILLER,

reeiprocable in said socket and having means A. LIEBERKNECHT.

